Bride TikTok Drama Highlights Social Media Pitfalls for Photographers
A bride who attempted to shame two photographers for bad photos of her wedding received serious blowback from the internet after it was revealed she wasn’t being totally honest.
Austyn Mae made a viral TikTok video in which she shared several bad photos from her wedding. In the post, she named photographer Madison Wood as well as the name of another photographer who PetaPixel understands actually took the photos.
However, the TikTok spectacularly backfired on Mae when an internet sleuth found the gallery of images that the photographer had delivered. The full set of photos includes beautiful shots from the couple’s big day that Mae had conveniently left out of her post.
@atrustedadult @austyn mae hope you have a happy marriage #wedding #weddingphotographer #photography #greenscreenvideo #greenscreen ♬ original sound – JJ
“Seriously, what are you complaining about?” says amateur sleuth JJ on TikTok. “Coming on an app like this and trying to get some sort of clout because you’re complaining about a photographer seems to be a common trend.”
Blowback
The videos blew up: receiving millions of views and thousands of comments. Virtually everyone sided with the photographer. The bride wound up not only deleting her original video, but her entire account and online presence — so severe was the fallout.
Arizona-based Madison Wood has responded to the drama with her own video, adding more context to the situation. Wood says that the debacle was already unfolding “offline” when the couple revealed they were unhappy with the photos. Wood herself didn’t actually take the photos, instead an “associate” of hers took the photos.
“There was multiple talks with the mom and then everything was kind of, I wouldn’t say settled, because obviously they were unhappy,” Wood says in a TikTok video. “But everything came to an agreement and then the bride decided to post this (video) on TikTok. She stated that I went against my contract, which is not true. I sent an associate.”
@madisonnnwood Just wanted to thank everyone for the kind words & offer my side💛 never thought it would get to this point
Wood goes on to say that she offered the couple a refund and the RAW photos but both offers were refused.
“I know I’m not going to please everyone, but I just wish this was handled in such a different way,” she says. “I was at work and one of my friends sent me the TikTok…I called the Mom and I just said, ‘Listen, I completely understand that you guys are upset. I thought that we had talked about this, but I do not understand online bashing at all. She just made a TikTok video and I’m tagged in it’.”
“Obviously I did not physically take those pictures,” Wood continues. “But I sent the associate out there. I have taken full accountability for that. I did literally everything in my power to make that right. And this was still posted on social media.”
However, while the experience has been “extremely overwhelming” for Wood it may ultimately be a good thing since her social media followers have now skyrocketed thanks to the drama and she has received well wishes from hundreds of people.
Social Media: A Minefield for Photographers
The saga is reminiscent of the “sepia tone bride” drama from last year when another disgruntled newlywed used TikTok to name and shame a photographer whose work she was unhappy with — this time it was because she felt the pictures had a strong orange tint on them.
This too largely backfired on the bride. However, this type of online retribution where photographers are named and shamed is a serious risk to the photographer’s business and another headache for overworked shooters to worry about. Worryingly, it also seems to be becoming a trend.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
